[希臘神話]鮑西絲和費萊蒙

Baucis and Philemon

As was the common practice with the gods of Olympus，Zeus and Hermes were visiting the world in disguise．One day they came to a village．At a thousand house sthey knocked，and a thousand times they were refused rest and food and drink．At last they arrived at a humble cottage，where the old couple Baucis and her husband Philemon lived．Poor but at peace with world，they made the best of what life could offer them ，and felt truly grateful to the gods above．When the two travellers entered the hut，the old couple were glad with lively happiness．They offered their guests their best seat，and immediately set about preparing dinner for them．With no small difficulty they made fire，brought in a fresh cabbage，cut a fat piece of their long kept meat and put them over the fire to cook．The one single goose they were ready to kill for the visitors，but it was saved at the last minute by the guests．The dining bench was a makeshift ，poor and patched but the best they had．The table was supported by a brick．The feast was quite modest，eggs and wine and cot tage cheese，and a variety of newly pickedfruit．The old couple humbly waited on the visiting guests withsincere looks and eager goodwill．Moved at the hospitality ofthe house，the gods told their true identity．“We are gods”，saidZeus．“While the neigh bour hood pays the penalty for itswickedness
you shall be free from misfortune．Coming along with us”．When they were near the top of the hill，Bancis and Phile mon looked back and saw all the village below covered by amarsh ，and that among the general ruin and destruction their old cottage alone survived，changed into a grand temple．At their request they were made the guardians of the sacred place of Zeus．When their span of worldly life came to an end they were turned into an ash and linden，standing side by side in front of the temple．

奧林波斯山上的神都喜歡喬裝改扮到人間察看。有一天，宙斯和海爾墨斯喬裝來到一個村子裏。他們敲了許多人家的門，希望能歇歇腳，討點食物，卻一次又一次地被拒之門外。最後他們來到一間簡陋的小茅屋前，這裏住着鮑西絲和她的老伴費萊蒙，老倆口雖一貧如洗，卻也樂天知足，與世無爭。他們享盡了生活所賦予的一切，並對上天充滿了感激之情。當二神來到他們家時，老倆口滿懷喜悅，笑逐顏開。他們將二神視爲稀客，並立刻開始爲他們準備晚餐。他們點燃火，摘回一棵白菜，又切下一塊貯存很久的鹹肥肉，放在火上烤。正當他們宰殺僅剩的一隻鵝時，客人婉言地阻止了他們。餐凳只是臨時的代用品，陳舊不堪，到處是修補的痕跡，但對他們來說已是最好的了。桌子是用一塊磚頭撐着。飯菜非常普通，有雞蛋、葡萄酒和土製奶酪，以及多種新鮮水果。二老笑容可掬、殷勤備至地服待天神用飯。兩位天神深深地被他們的盛情款待所感動，說明了自己的真實身分。“我們是天神”宙斯說，“你們將脫離不幸，但你們的鄰人們將因他們的邪惡受到懲罰。跟我們走吧！”當他們快到奧林波斯山頂時，鮑西絲和費萊蒙回頭看見整個村莊淹沒在一片沼澤之中；而他們的舊茅屋卻始終完好無損，並且變成了一座金碧輝煌的神殿。出於二老的要求，他們被指派爲宙斯所住宮殿的看護者。隨着倆個凡人生活的結束，他們變成了白蠟樹和菩提樹，並肩站在神殿前。